Are anime always going to make you laugh? Definitely not. Sometimes, they can even fill your eyes with tears. Most of the anime stories have a tragic end. These emotional animes have the full power to make you laugh hard at some times and would also fill your eyes with tears at the end.
We are all familiar with the anime Clannad. This anime’s end had literally got us both goosebumps and tears. Of course, there are numerous such animes who would make us cry instead of making us laugh. Today, we are going to meet such emotional animes, which, despite being melancholic and tragic, are everyone’s favorite.
20. Angel Beats
Angel Beats is another amazing anime that can give you some happy and sad moments. It’s a story about Otonashi, who gets into a whole new world after his death and does not remember his actual world.
However, destiny has some tragic plans in store for Otonashi, where he has to join SSS to fight against Angel, who is the enemy of the afterlife’s citizens.
The most exciting part is when Otonashi, during the ongoing battle, starts regaining his memory and comes to know the reality of the world.
19. Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer has been one of the most common emotional anime. It is the story of two siblings, Tanjiro and Nezuko, who have vowed to reach their enemy, Muzan Kibitsuji. This is because Muzan has provided a lot of pain to Tanjiro and Nezuko’s family.
Of course, in order to deal with their enemies, both Tanjiro and Nezuko get a lot of support from their friends. However, due to uneven circumstances, their friends leave them in between.
One of the most exciting parts is when they come alive and wander in different places, even after the demons’ deaths. This is the tragedy where audiences will get thrilled and teary both at the same time.
18. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Madoka Magica has gained a lot of popularity due to its emotional yet exciting twist. Two girls named Madoka and Sayaka are offered magical powers by a creature named Kyubey.
The entire story revolves around how these two girls deal with tragic circumstances through their vulnerable mental states. You can consider it to be a psychological horror.
However, it is not completely a horror anime. It also contains some glorifying moments that will surely make you laugh and giggle. Its tragic end, where the girls’ hopelessness loosens them, will surely be with you even after completing the movie.
17. Erased
When we are talking about emotional animes, how can we forget about Erased? I am sure its tragic and thrilling story might have broken many of your hearts.
The storyline of Erased basically revolves around a 29-year-old boy, Satoru Fujinuma, and his powers of traveling in different future time segments. In different time intervals, Satoru gets into a challenging situation where he needs to save his loved ones from getting murdered.
Moreover, the final time leap of Satoru is very heartbreaking as he needs to save his three classmates from getting murdered anyhow and find their murderer.
Although this entire segment will take you into a roller coaster of thrilling experiences, one thing will surely melt your heart and that is Satoru and his friend Kayo’s relationship.
16. Akame Ga Kill!
Akame ga Kill! It is a story about a young and lovely boy, Tatsuki, whose village needs money for its livelihood. To help them out, Tatsuki, along with his friends, moves to a city to earn money.
This is where some tragedy awaits him. Tatsuki and his friends find shelter in a home that seems to be a nice family.
But all bright things are not stars. The same thing happens here. The nice family turns cruel and kills all of Tatsuki’s friends. However, Tatsuki successfully escapes from the place before anything bad can happen to him.
Then comes the turning point of the story where Tatsuki, in order to take revenge for his friends’ murders and fight against such evil people, joins the Night Raid group. There, he meets the assassins of Night Raid: Akame, Mine, Leone, Sheele, Lubbock, Nagenda, and Bulat.
15. Grave Of The Fireflies
If you are an anime fan, you might remember Seita and Setsuko. If not, then you have really missed seeing a very emotional and strong bond between the two siblings.
Well, let me tell you about it. Seita and Setsuko used to live happily in Kobe with their mother. However, this happiness does not last as they lose their mother in the sudden bomb blast.
This tragedy forces them both to leave their place and stay with their aunt. During this situation, they come to know about their father who is a captain in the Navy in Japan.
However, the most tragic moment arises when both siblings learn about Japan’s surrender, crushing all their dreams of meeting their father. In the end, both the siblings die due to malnutrition and salvation.
14. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
This anime is very popular among children as it uncovers the story of a young child named Kousei Arima, famous for playing piano. Although he gets to learn piano from his strict mother, he becomes a master at playing it, due to which he wins every single competition with ease.
However, Kosei’s life takes a turning point when his mother has an unnatural death. Now, how would it feel if the person through whom you get to become so popular leaves you one day?
The same feeling arises in Kousei’s mind due to which he lives playing piano forever and starts living a normal life as a junior high school student.
While living this unknowing life, a person named Kaori enters into Kousei’s life, who is a violinist by profession. After meeting Kaori, Kousei gets in contact with music again, and his life becomes colorful again.
13. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Sometimes, the things you might think in anger become true even if you don’t want them to become real. The same thing happens with a middle school student Mirai Onozawa.
She never likes her family circumstances and once being angry really wishes to get separated from them forever. And this is the time when God listens to her.
One day, Miraai’s younger brother, Yuuki, wishes to visit a robot exhibition, and Miraai, being an elder sister, takes him to the exhibition. However, as they reach the exhibition center, a major earthquake of 8.0 magnitude hits the Kanto region and devastates the entire region in no time.
Due to the chaos that arose, Mirai, with her younger brother, gets separated from her family. While on their way searching for their families, both siblings meet a motorcyclist, Mari Kusakabe. Mari binds a strong bond with the brother-sister duo and unites them with their family by facing various hardships.
12. Parasyte: The Maxim
What if parasites eat our human brains? You might wonder how terrible it would be. The same situation is shown in the show Parasyte: The Maxim. It is a mixture of horrific and emotional tragedies.
The alien species in the form of parasites land on earth and start controlling the human’s brains by attaching to them. Not only this, but they even control entire human bodies and transform them into monsters containing hundreds of teeth and blades.
In the end, these parasites would either eat or take the humans away from their loved ones. This is where the emotional scenario takes place, where all the humans are saddened by losing their loved ones.
11. Clannad: After Story
The Story of Clannad is taken forward by its sequel, Clannad: After Story, produced by Kyoto Animation. It focuses mainly on showing the hardships that every human faces in his/her adulthood.
In the sequel, you will find that Tomoya, Nagisa, and Okazaki have successfully graduated from their high school, and now all three of them are thinking of choosing courses for their further studies.
However, Tomoya gets a little confused while choosing the right course. During this entire phase, he receives great support from Nagasi, and both get much closer to each other. Then, both work in a united way to fight against all their life’s hurdles. This makes their bond grow stronger.
Further, the Story moves forward by depicting an illusionary world where, with the onset of the winter season, you get to see an illusionary girl and a garbage doll who also face some difficult phases in their lives. The purpose behind showcasing this Story is to show the true colors of the world.
10. Clannad
It is often said that the journey from teenage to adulthood is not easy. And that’s true. Thanks to Clannad which has depicted this reality in a perfect way.
It’s a must-watch anime series for teenagers, which teaches them that life can surprise you anytime through its drastic changes. That’s why you need to be prepared for it accordingly.
Moreover, even if you are having a smooth life, you don’t know when life can give you the most shocking experience.
9. A Silent Voice
While in elementary school, a young girl, Shoya, used to bully her deaf classmate, Shouko, a lot. However, you have to pay for every deed, whether good or bad.
The same thing happens with Shoya, who is left all alone in her high school, due to which she goes into a state, thus paying for all the wrong things she did to Shouko.
The emotional tragedy starts when Shoya realizes her mistake and decides to apologize to Shouko but finds that Shouko is already depressed. This is the stage where both Shoya and Shouko decide to help each other to come out from depression.
During this entire journey, both of them bind a good bond that would grab every viewer’s heart. However, its ending is surely going to leave many eyes teary.
8. Wolf Children
A mother always has to face many hardships while raising her children, especially when she is a single mother. When it comes to single mother’s struggles, no other anime than the “Wolf Children” has explained it in a well-mannered way. This anime series has showcased numerous emotions that would surely fill anybody’s eyes with tears.
Wolf Children is the Story about a lady, Hana, who is a single parent of two children who are half human and half wolf. The reason behind the children having these supernatural powers is that Hana’s husband was killed while hunting in the forest.
The entire series will take you on a rollercoaster of various emotions by showing the struggles of Hana in raising her two wolf children.
7. True Tears
True Tears is an anime where you will get to see a lot of suspense and emotional moments. The Story starts with a young boy, Shinichiro, who lives a normal and peaceful life like any other boy his age.
However, his life takes a drastic turn when he meets a young girl named Noe Isurugi, who is a total stranger to him.
Noe is very much fond of Chikens, but one day, all of a sudden, Noe’s one of his favorite chickens dies. This is where the Story heads up for suspense when Shinichiro comes to know that Noe cannot cry as she has given away her tears to someone else.
Then the entire Story moves around to find out who that person is to whom Noe has given her tears.
6. Pokemon Movie 01: Mewtwo no Gyakushuu
We are talking about the most emotional anime, and if we forget about Pokemon, then it would be the biggest injustice. Team Rocket, with the help of the fossil of the Pokemon Mew, creates its first clone successfully and names it Mewtwo.
However, Mewtwo is not happy with its creation and so he exits from the place. The Team Rocket’s leader, Sakaki, finds Mewtwo and fills him with hatred for mankind.
That’s why Mewtwo isolates itself from the entire world and becomes the strongest Pokemon trainer. Intending to destroy mankind, Mewtwo lands in the world of the most powerful trainers. There, he has to fight against a strong team of trainers, Satoshi, Takeshi, and Kasumi, to make his win.
5. Steins; Gate
Rintarou Okabe is a scientist by profession who loves exploring the scientific world. With the help of his two friends, Mayuri and Itaru, Rintarou launched the Future Gadget Laboratory to invent innovative scientific products that revolutionize human psychology.
However, their fate has some other plans and that’s why they end up inventing a telephone microwave that can send text messages.
One day, while attending the famous neuroscientist Kurisu Makise’s conference, Rintarou learns that his microwave is actually a time machine. Through this microwave, they can actually send messages in the past.
This, of course, amazes the trio, but it doesn’t amaze their enemies, due to which the trio is left in a troubling situation where they have to save themselves.
The most to-be-watched part of the series is how they are saving their lives and taking care of each other in such a dangerous situation.
4. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Young alchemist Edward and his younger brother Alphonse lose their mother. Both the siblings cannot bear the pain of this loss and decide to resurrect their mother with a transmutation.
However, during this process, both of them forget nature’s most fundamental law of equivalence. This makes both of them pay by losing their physical body parts, which makes audiences cry a lot.
3. 5 Centimeters Per Second
All love stories do not have a happy ending. 5 Centimeters Per Second is one such tragic love story. It’s a story about two people, Takaki and Akari, who meet each other in elementary school.
Within a few moments only, both of them bond strongly and fall in love with each other. However, destiny has some other plans for both of them as they have to depart from each other in different countries for further studies. Before shifting, Takaki meets Akari and they have a kiss as a goodbye.
After a few years, Akari gets engaged to another man. While being completely unaware of this fact, Takaki still loves Akari. However, one day both of them are traveling in trains which are crossing each other’s paths. There Takaki gets to see Akari happy with another man, thus leaving him completely heartbroken.
2. Plastic Memories
Nothing is permanent in this world. Every beautiful thing has an end. This thing is very explained in the anime Plastic Memories. An 18-years old boy, Tsukasa Mizugaki, even after failing the college entrance exams, lands up working in Sion Artificial Intelligence Corporation(SAI).
This company manufactures Giftias, which have a lifespan of around nine years and four months.
Tsukasa gets to work in Terminal Service One station which collects the Giftias who are nearer to their expiry age. There, Tsukas meets one Giftia named Isla. Thereafter, the entire story showcases the beautiful bond between Tsukas and Isla, as Isla does not have much time left.
1. Oshi No Ko
Oshi No Ko is a suspense thriller that keeps on giving emotional goosebumps at regular intervals. The story revolves around a young lady, Ai Hoshino, who gives birth to her newborn babies.
However, a small twist is added here. Ai’s newborn babies are the reincarnated versions of her doctor, who was killed on that same night, and her fan, who also died that night in the same hospital.
Although the trio, Ai, Ruby, and Aquamarine, have no blood connections, they still build up strong bonds and attachments, which is the most heart-touching part of the series.
